Shah said the government would ensure that “the strictest punishment” was imposed on the perpetrators after every link in the chain was established. Union home minister on Thursday said the punishment for those involved in the deadly car explosion near Red Fort in Delhi will send a message across the world that no one would dare to carry out such an attack in India again. Shah said the attack was “a cowardly act” and the government would ensure that “the strictest punishment” was imposed on the perpetrators after every link in the chain was established.
The explosion took place around 6.50 pm near Red Fort after the car slowed down at a red light, killing at least 11 people and leaving 21 injured. The impact of the blast was such that charred body parts were found scattered away from the site. On Thursday, the Union Cabinet condemned the blast as a “heinous terror incident” by “anti-national” forces, and directed investigators to identify and bring to justice “the perpetrators, their collaborators, and their sponsors”.
Speaking at an event in Gujarat through video conference, the home minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resolve to ensure strict punishment for all those responsible for this terrorist act would definitely be fulfilled. “The punishment given to the perpetrators of the Delhi terror attack will send a message to the world that no one would even dare to think of such an attack in our country again,” he said.
Shah said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was working with all agencies to trace every person connected with the procurement of materials, transportation, communication and execution. He said the investigation is being monitored closely and the government’s focus is on filing a charge sheet supported by evidence that meets all legal standards.
“In the last eleven years, the world has accepted India’s fight against terrorism. The country has shown what a strict and sensitive approach means,” he said. He said cooperation with other countries on intelligence sharing, border security and joint investigation has increased and that India’s work has been accepted globally. He said such incidents could not be viewed in isolation and that the response must reinforce the country’s resolve.
